Danica Patrick just wrapped up a two-race stint as a guest commentator for Fox, and her replacement has been revealed. According to Beyond the Flag, Tony Stewart will be the guest analyst for the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. Stewart has experience in the booth as he called three races last year, including the Daytona 500. It’s not clear if Stewart will call the race on March 26, which is the Circuit of Americas.
Stewart was also in the booth for NASCAR’S first three races this year with Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer before Patrick took over. Last year, Stewart spoke to the Robb Report about making the transition from the track to the booth and the challenges it presents.
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“I don’t think it’s hard to be in there [the booth],” he said. “I’ve listened to Jeff Gordon and Dale [Earnhardt] Jr. answer a similar question, and like Dale has said, there’s a point in your life when you sit there and say, ‘I don’t want to have to take that chance anymore.’ As much as I love winning races, the Daytona 500 is so unpredictable and so many things are out of your control and can get you in a wreck pretty easy. And it’s not about getting in a wreck, the cars are safer than they’ve ever been. You’re not worried about getting hurt, just about getting taken out of the race.”
Stewart also talked about his objective in the booth. “What I add in the booth is hopefully the driver’s perspective and what the drivers are thinking at different points during the race,” Stewart added. “Are they antsy and a little more aggressive? Do they like where they’re at in the field and content to take it easy and get to the next fuel stop? A lot of times the fans think they know what’s going on from what’s on TV, but having that driver’s perspective adds to it, something to make them go, ‘Wow, I never thought of it that way.’ That’s what we add, value-wise.” Stewart is a NASCAR legend as he won 49 Cup Series races and three Cup Series Championships in his career.
